Auditory Processing Disorder Symptoms

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD, or central auditory processing disorder or CAPD) is the role the brain plays in the hearing process which ultimately enables us to develop learning skills.
What is auditory processing disorder?

Since most early learning is auditory, a weakness in how language is processed can lead to delayed development in a number of other learning skills, including reading, which require language dexterity.

Here are some of the common signs of auditory processing disorder in a checklist:

• Difficulty listening in the presence of background noise
  
• Exhaustion from listening in class
  
• Reading and/or spelling difficulties
  
• Speech therapy or language delays when young
  
• Difficulty with phonics and speech sound discrimination
  
• Poor auditory memory
  
• Often misunderstands what is said, needs information to be repeated
  
• Poor expressive language skills
  
• Slow or delayed response to verbal requests and instructions
  
• Poor auditory attention

To hear a clinician explain the most common symptoms click here. For a full report on the symptoms of APD in a checklist by age, and what causes it, follow this link:
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Difficulties Related to Auditory Processing Disorder

Scientists are learning that auditory processing delays are present in a majority of children with learning difficulties, in three categories: reading, learning and language.

APD-Related Reading Difficulties
Efficient -- fast and accurate -- auditory processing skills help the clarity and breadth of phonological vocabulary, an essential reading skill. Hearing "cat" as one sound is enough to participate in conversation but to recognize it in text form requires "phonemic awareness" (definition: phonemes are the smallest components of sound that make up words) or being able to hear the component sounds of cat, i.e., "c-a-t." This opens the door to automaticity in reading and reading comprehension.
Program for auditory processing reading difficulties

Learning Skills Impacted By APD
Auditory processing deficits can undermine a number of essential learning skills. It can cause inattentive attention deficit disorder, learning enjoyment and the ability to think critically, often described as the skill that defines eventual academic success. Over time, as skills are slowly learned, the signs of auditory processing disorder change.

In young children the main clues are often behavioral -- unwillingness to engage, acting out when asked to do anything involving listening or reading. By middle school the signs of auditory processing disorder are much harder to detect, but their impact is no less severe. CAPD can undermine learning efficiency at every turn -- lower grades, reading reluctance and/or weak reading comprehension, difficulty engaging or keeping up in class, all culminating in homework frustration.
Difficulties caused by auditory processing problems in children

Language Issues From APD
The first signs of auditory processing disorder picked up most parents are usually language related. Obvious difficult with pronunciation and vocabulary are directed related to APD. Other auditory processing symptoms such as difficulty following directions are sometimes harder to pick up. These language related issues are often called language processing disorders.
Language processing disorder

Homework Frustration And/Or Disappointing Grades
In many cases, parents are not aware of an auditory processing disorder until the homework starts to pile up and it takes too long. Or a child who knows the material has disappointing grades. Language processing is the most fundamental of all learning skills -- we even think in English! Auditory processing problems undermine learning confidence and independence.

More Information on Auditory Processing Disorder

For more information on the various types of auditory processing deficits, e.g., sound discrimination, auditory memory, please follow this link:
Central auditory processing problems by age

There are a number of different auditory processing skills that are undermined by auditory processing disorder, including auditory discrimination, auditory memory and auditory sequencing. To learn more about these skills, follow this link:
Auditory processing deficits by type

Our Program

Auditory processing skills can be exercised and strengthened. Most children develop these skills naturally, simply by listening to the language around them. Some, however, need more stimulation and practice than occurs in daily life -- our program provides that added exercise.
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